Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis

FROM THE PUBLISHER

What are the causes of war? To answer this question, Professor Kenneth Waltz examines the ideas of major thinkers throughout the history of Western civilization. He explores works both by classic political philosophers, such as St. Augustine, Hobbes, Kant, and Rousseau, and by modern psychologists and anthropologists to discover ideas intended to explain war among states and related prescriptions for peace.

SYNOPSIS

What are the causes of war? To answer this question, Professor Waltz examines the ideas of major thinkers throughout the history of Western civilization. He explores works both by classic political philosophers, such as St. Augustine, Hobbes, Kant, and Rousseau, and by modern psychologists and anthropologists to discover ideas intended to explain w

FROM THE CRITICS

Foreign

[A] thoughtful inquiry into the views of classical political theory on the nature and causes of war.

Foreign Affairs

In this thoughtful inquiry into the views of classical political theory on the nature and causes of war, Professor Waltz follows three principal themes or images: war as a consequence of the nature and behavior of man, as an outcome of their internal organization of states, and as a product of international anarchy.

American Political Science Review

It is fortunate that Waltz is not merely a qualified political theorist but also an able student of international politics.

American Political Science Review

It is fortunate that Waltz is not merely a qualified political theorist but also an able student of international politics with a command of the contemporary literature and of the raw data on the subject. He is thus able intellectually to analyze the contributions of the political philosophers and to assess their relevance and adequacy for understanding the real world of international politics.

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